Joe Jr

I've bought overly large propane grills (non-Weber) in the past thinking it was such a "good deal" when they weren't Weber grills and just too big other than for large parties. Here's the thing, if you like to smoke OR grill x2-x3 a week with minimal cleaning and the biggest draw for me was the temperature control w/ the LEAST AMOUNT OF FUEL being used, ceramic type of charcoal grilling is the way to go: 1. It's better than propane. Cooking w/ charcoal gives you that char-taste that you CAN NOT get from propane unless you buy special grilling meat injector fluid that mimics that charcoal taste 2. Excellent temperature control. It's a pain in the ass to do this w/ a metal small charcoal grill (which I'd still take over a propane grill, btw). 3. FUEL CONSUMPTION (this is actually the #1 REASON WHY I bought this type of grill). The more you grill, the more you'll save in fuel costs over time. I have a metal weber kettle grill (18") and it uses at minimum x2-x3 times more fuel (due to the heat dissipating via the metal). The ceramic is #1 in this area in conserving your fuel and heat. Go to BJ's or Costco and BUY the LUMP CHARCOAL, NOT the BRIQUETTES (that's for the metal charcoal grills) from there . 4. Convenience of cooking outside vs inside for certain foods. To me, cooking pizza (oven needs to get to 500 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, which usually takes 1/2 hr or more minimum if you use a pizza stone). IF you use a GrillBlazer Grill SV Gun (which I bought, but it's a tad expensive, so try to get something similar if you want to save time) you'll save yourself like 15-20 minutes for the coals to get hot enough if you use a grill gun vs a charcoal chimney starter (which is fine too if you don't have the $). Also, it's heats up way hotter and quicker in my opinion (if you use a grill gun) than a conventional oven in your house. PLUS you'll more than likely NOT HAVE a FALSE ALARMS from the fire alarms in your house once the temperatures get hot enough and create that smoke. 5. Easy clean up. Open the bottom and use the tool they provide you to scrap the ashes out. Done within 30-60 seconds. That's it! I've bought 2 of these since I fell in love with this grill so much. I understand if you want to save money and look at cheap chinese brands here on Amazon or elsewhere, but think twice. If you're spending $100+ on something you'll think you'll be using for a long time: (1) Are you confident it behaves in the same way that a Green Egg or a Kamado Joe would? (2) if the ceramic CRACKS, will the company cover the warranty on it? It's totally up to whatever your budget allows. FYI, if choose the more expensive shipping option if you buy this, because #1, I used the Amazon Prime Free Shipping method and the grill came CRACKED on the inside and outside (it was a small crack, but it's ENOUGH to cause problems when cooking). Your grill should have NO CRACKS, contact Kamado Joe immediately and take pics with your phone and ask them if the crack is manageable or should you send it back. And god forbid it's cracked and you have to send it back, it's going to be a pain in the ass. SAVE THE GREEN SHIPPING STRAPS, DO NOT THROW THEM OUT UNTIL YOU'VE INSPECTED THE GRILL FOR CRACKS. To avoid this problem, I choose Amazon's option for "Inside Entryway" SCHEDULED SHIPPING (just pay the $10 more), it's worth it and you'll save yourself A LOT of headache. I wish I did it the 1st time. There will be 2 guys to move your grill to wherever you want it.

I didn’t think I could fall in love with a grill, but here we are. The Kamado Joe Jr. delivers big-league flavor in a compact, portable body. This little beast holds heat like a pro, letting you grill, smoke, or roast with ease—even in colder weather. It’s made from thick, high-quality ceramic that retains heat extremely well. I was able to hold steady temps for low-and-slow cooking, and it handled searing steaks just as easily. The cast iron grate adds that perfect char, and the included heat deflector makes it incredibly versatile. Portability is a huge plus. I’ve taken it camping and tailgating, and it travels like a champ. It's not feather-light, but totally manageable with the built-in handles. If you’re looking for big flavor from a small footprint, this is your grill. Durable, efficient, and just plain fun to use.

This grill is outstanding. I also have an XL big green egg. I use it every few months. I use this one 2-3 times a week. It’s so easy and uses so little charcoal. I don’t hesitate to fire it up for one hamburger. It’s that quick and easy.

I bought this because I am already experienced with the kamado style ceramic grills and i wanted something smaller to save fuel with. I read a bunch of reviews about these and it seemed that the biggest complaint was broken items upon receipt, and the poor customer service thereafter. Mine arrived with a small chip in the bottom half (that probably wouldn't affect cooking), but I took a pic and contacted Kamado Joe (KJ). They sent me a replacement bottom half! The grill holds it's temperature really well and is GREAT on fuel conservation, compared to the Big ceramic I have. I cook on it about 3 times a week, and have no issues. My only complaint is that the thermometer it comes with has a long probe on the back, which sometimes dips down into meat that i'm smoking (think pork shoulders). It's not a problem usually: i'll move the shoulder back or just use a wireless thermometer anyway. It would also be nice to have an upgraded version offered that comes with the upgraded casket and smoke top, like the KJ classics. Ceramic is also prone to cracking if mishandled, and this grill doesn't have many accessories. That means if you do like I do and move it from garage to porch to cook, then back once it's cool, you end up carrying it a lot, which means you could drop it and break it. overall i love this grill! It's really cool and cooks amazing food, holds a temp extremely well.

Gave it five stars because it's well made, but really frustrated getting the heat up on it. I tried two differents brands of "lump" charcoal and every suggestion found on the internet-- with the same very poor results. After struggling to bring it up to 400 degrees--and, failing--I read that it takes time to learn how to use it. I just want to grill a good steak and not spend the day doing it! So, it appears unsuited for a quicky BBQ.

I know this is a great product but sadly it arrived with the center bowl cracked. The box and crate were intact but somehow the interior of the egg still got damaged.

Great and helpful product!

Sabiendo regular bien el tiro de aire es fácil controlar bien la temperatura y te permite cocinar para 2 o 3 personas buenos asados y parrilladas, mantienen muy bien el calor en su interior.

Très bien mais il faut savoir qu'on ne retrouve pas le fumé des barbecues traditionnels. Pour ce faire, il faut ajouter un ou plusieurs morceaux de bois sec (à tester). Je fais des essais de cuisson lente (120/140°)

This kamado is just a must have for week cooks. Its fast to get up to temp, super stable and easy to get amazing results with moist and tender meat. A charcoal basket help the grill to receive more air and its easy to clean. Perfect size for a family of four. Its suprisingly capable and a joy to cook on.

The best purchase i have ever made on Amazon. The item was so well packed and delivered with care and all the instructions. Delivery took a bit longer but it was well worth the wait! Got this Kamado on sale with a fair price and the quality of the product is outstanding. Recommend 100%

Der Grill kam sehr gut verpackt an. Transportieren sollten ihn aber auf jeden Fall zwei Personen. Die Verpackung hat ungefähr die Dimension einer Waschmaschine. Ich habe den kleinen Kamado jetzt bei mir auf dem Balkon stehen. Bei mir ist vom Vermieter grillen mit Holzkohle ausdrücklich erlaubt. Die Hitzebelastung an die Umgebung ist sehr gering und ich halte den Grill durch das geschlossene System und den stabilen Ständer für deutlich ungefährlicher als sonstige offene Holzkohlegrills. Nach Beendigung des Grillens einfach die Lüftungsklappen schließen, dann geht das Feuer von alleine aus und man kann unbesorgt ins Bett gehen. Auch die Geruchsbelästigung für die Nachbarn hält sich sehr in Grenzen, gute Holzkohle vorausgesetzt. Ich greife hier mittlerweile zu guter Restaurant-Holzgrillkohle, auch wegen des Raucharomas. Von Holzkohlebriketts rät der Hersteller ab. Der Grill ist zwar Made in China, aber dennoch hervoragend verarbeitet. Die Stärke liegt im stundenlangen Grillen. Der Verbrauch an Holzkohle ist sehr gering. Meistens kann man mit einer Holzkohlebeladung mehrmals grillen. Die Temperatur lässt sich relativ genau über die Lüftungsklappen steuern und die Temperatur hält der Grill dann über Stunden. Der Innendurchmesser des Grills entspricht dem Standardmaß für "kleine Kugelgrills", so dass man auch Zubehör von Drittanbietern einsetzen kann und nicht unbedingt Original-Zubehör kaufen muss. Es gibt zwei Ebenen, auf denen gegrillt werden kann, entweder direkt über der Glut, wenn man viel Hitze benötigt oder man setzt das mitgelieferte Gestell ein, dann ist man etwa 10 cm weiter oben. In das Gestell kann man auch unten die mitgelieferte Deflektorscheibe für indirektes Grillen einlegen. Dann ist der Grill eher ein Backofen. Allerdings erreicht er dann nicht mehr die Maximaltemperatur (lt. Thermometer am Deckel).